Batman Annual #9

Issue Details

Synopsis

CHILDHOOD'S END The parents of a young boy that Bruce Wayne knows are killed by the getaway car of store robber and Bruce is only able to save the kid. The event brings back the traumatic events that started Bruce's journey into becoming Batman and that night, the Dark Knight finds the criminal responsible for the deaths. However, Batman couldn't expect to find a truly remorseful person, who is aware that he did something wrong.  Later, Batman visits the young boy on a shelter home and learns that he has been nursing a grudge against the thug. When Batman gives him the mask of the criminal, he also tells him that the crook has been captured and that the boy should honor his parents memory by becoming the best person he could be. Like this, the boy resumes his musical training and starts improving his skills. INNOCENT BLOOD A group of ordinary bank robbers assume the guise of the Black Heart Liberation Army, a counter-revolutionary organization, in order to mislead the police. Outraged by having their "good name" co-opted by the criminals, The BHLA discover the whereabouts of the hoodlums and confront them at their hideout. Batman also has located the hideout and when he sets off a party favor that startles the two nervous gangs, they get jumpy and start indiscriminately firing their weapons, hitting explosives stored in the warehouse, killing both groups. DEATH BY DOUBLE FAULT! Bruce Wayne is invited to a dinner party by a friend who he hasn't heard from in 10 years, since the "accident". His friend, Philip Vernon, was a budding tennis star when he "fell" down the stairs of his new home he had just built, crippling him. Now 10 years later he is about to reveal the person he believes pushed him down the stairs and ended his tennis career. However, before Philip can reveal the killer's identity, he is mysteriously found bludgeoned on his tennis court and Bruce Wayne springs into action as Batman to solve the mystery and expose the murderer, who was none other than his jealous brother. PERSPECTIVES Batman rescues some children from a burning hospital but takes a bullet in the process. In the aftermath, the hospital's director, some of the kids and the arsonist tell the events as they experienced it, but only the Batman knows the entire truth of the event.   After telling the whole story to his friend and confident, Alfred, Bruce asks him to set the alarm one hour earlier so he can train harder. As Bruce falls asleep, Alfred turns off the alarm, giving Bruce a well deserved rest.